Method of refrigeration



e l; 1942 H. Y. sTEBBlNs METHOD 0F .REFRIGERATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1940 'atentec i.,

caigan sientas. smear pagina Mn'rnon or amrcann'rroiv Harry Y. Stebbins, Lbs Angeies, osiir., assigner to General American Precooiing Corporation, Chicago, Iii., a corporation of Delaware Application :une iz, 1940, serial No.` l340,191

(ci. ca -24) 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a method of, and apparatus for,.precooling enclosures, more especially commercial transportation vehicles, such as for example, railway cars and commercial trucks lprior to the commencement of their transport,V

in the case of a freight car through a side door v opening thereof from a refrigeratlng apparatus, as for instance a portable refrigerating unit. disposed adjacent the car, of refrigerated air forced into the enclosure at great velocity and in great volume for dispersion throughout the articles located in the enclosure, and preferably returned through the same opening to the` refrigeration apparatus for re-refrigeration and re-circulation through the enclosure.

One of my objects is to effect rapid and eco- `nomical precooling of the articles in the enclosure; another object is to effect such precooling without dehydrating the articles when of such character that dehydration may occur in the precooling operationi and ,other objects as will bemanifest from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a refrigcrator car and one embodiment of my improved apparatus associated therewith for precooling the contents of the car, the apparatus shownconstituting lone form of apparatus suitable for the practicing of my novel method of precoo'iing, the section being taken at the line I on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 2 is a section taken at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2, thesection being taken at'the line 3 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, like Fig. 1, illustrating another embodiment of the invention and constituting another formof apparatus suit- Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, l represents a refrigerator car such as commonly provided and having the usual sidewall center door-openings 1 with the usual hinged door-closures one of which is shown at 8.

The car shown is of the type comprising a centrai refrigerating storage space 9 for the articles, with ice bunkers I0 at the ends of the car communicating at their upper and lower ends, through openings II and l2, with the storage space 9. The storage space 9- is shown as provided with an openwork false-floor I3 as commonly provided'in cars of this type affording longitudinal channels Il in communication at their ends with the loweropenings I2.

In accordance with general practice the lading,

to be refrigerated in accordance with my invention. provided in boxes or crates or other simi- 'larly shaped packages. and represented at I5, is

stacked in the' storage space 9 with the spacermeans between adjacent packages at diiierent elevations and with vertical spaces between adjacent side-by-side disposed packages, to provide channels for air circulation throughout all sides 'of the packages I5.

The lading preferably occupies al1 of the space 9 except opposite the door openings thereby providing a cross aisle I6 extending from one dooropening 'I to the other and involves theuse of bracing (not shown) in the aisle for preventing shifting'of the lading in transit.

1n accordance with this particulararrangement means are provided for forcing cooled air into the storage 'space 8 for cooling the lading and the iiowing from the space 9 of the air heated in the operation of cooling the lading, the cooled air owing through one portion of the door opening 'i at one side of the car and into the storage space 9 and the heated air flowing from this space through another portion of thisdoor opening, it

being preferred that the air flowing from the storage space, in heated condition, be re-cooled and in such condition returned to the lading space and therein againvutilized to further cool the lading, whereby the air iiows through a closed circulatory course including the storage space 9. the inflow and outflow conduits and the course -l in which the air is re-cooled.

able for the practicing of my novel method; and

Figure 5, a fragmentary plan sectional view of the structure of Fig. 4, the section being taken at the line I on Fig. 4 and viewed in the directio of the arrow. l

The means shown for conducting cooled air into the car and heated air therefrom comprises a conduit structure I1 shown as of accordian form and formed of flexible material. such as for .b, d R u. m

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as for example at about 34 F.

In both of these arrangements such. of the liquid as passes into the bottom portion of the storage space 9 discharges therefrom through a drain in the door of this space. However, if desired, the liquid may be returned for re-refrigeration in the cooler 38 and recirculated in the system in any suitable way as will be understood by those Skilled in the art.

If desired, all of the apparatus for producing the Iefrgerating medium t0 be Suppliedto the 15 Also, as will be understood, my invention is not coolers may be mountedon the truck, as for example in the chamber 26 in the case of either of the arrangements shown.

In accordance with the preferred way of practicng my improved method, the refrigerated liquid and the refrigerated air are supplied simultaneously during the rst part of the pre-cooling operation and the cooling of the `lading finished by theuse of cooled air only, particularly where itis desired that surface moisture produced on the articles during refrigeration be removed, though, if desired, such operationmay be varied,

vas forexample by utilizing the cooled air only (without liquid) during the first part of the operation of precooling the lading and thereafter supplying the cooled air and liquid, simultaneously to the lading.

The introduction of refrigerant liquid into the cooled air, 'as for example as shown and described, is of great practical value. The cold air forced into the storage space has a tendency to carry the moisture to otherwiseinaccessible parts of thelading and therefore rapid cooling of the lading, due to direct contact of the cold liquid and the highlymoistenedir with the lading, is effected. Furthermore, the cooling action is caused to substantially uniformly act on the lading with the manifest advantage and ne regulation of the moisture content of thearticles in the final refrigerated condition thereof may be effected.

While I have described certain procedures in from the spirit of my invention. Thus, by way 'of example, the air to be circulated through the disclosed certain forms of apparatus embodying my invention and adapted for use in performing my method, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the method may be practiced in other ways and by otherrapparatus and the apparatuses disclosed may be variously modified and altered without departng lading may be refrigerated b'y ice stored in the ice bunkers of the car, with any suitable means for circulatingvthe cooled air through the lading and the liquidfor moistening the cool air refrigerated from a source beyond the car.

limited for use in connection with a bracetype of load as above referred to, as it has utility in ticles in an enclosure, comprising forcing refrig erated air into the enclosure for circulation therein against the; articles and supplying liquid to the stream of air for mixture therewithduring the ilrst part of the refrigerating operation and 'forcing refrigerated air only into-the enclosure during the latter part of the refrigerating op eration. 2. The method of refrigerating perishable articles in an enclosure, comprising forcing refrig- 1 erated air into the enclosure for circulation i therein against the articles during. the first' part of the refrigerating operation, and forcing refrigerated air into the enclosure for circulation therein against the articles and supplying liquid to the stream of air formixture therewith during the latter part of the refrigerating operation.

A the practicing of my improved method and have 3. The method of refrigerating articles in a refrigerator car having ice bunkers, which comprises supplying to the aircirculating through the ice inthe bunkers and in the storage space* 'of the car, for mixture with thel air, liquid from a source beyond the car.

'.HARRYY.S'I'EBBINS. 

